2010 Woodward Dream Cruise

Grass Roots, Revered Pavement, World Stage
Did you know that the Woodward Dream Cruise actually started as a small fundraiser to raise money for a soccer field in Ferndale, Michigan?

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In August 1995, Nelson House and a group of volunteers looked to relive and recreate the nostalgic heydays of the 50s and 60s, when youth, music and Motor City steel roamed Woodward Avenue, America's first highway. That year, 250,000 people participated-nearly ten times the number expected. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, the Woodward Dream Cruise is the world's largest one-day automotive event, drawing 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars each year from around the globe-from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the former Soviet Union. North American cruisers from California, Georgia, Canada and all points in between caravan to Metro Detroit to participate in what has become, for many, an annual rite of summer.

Significant Community, Economic Impact
A market research study conducted after the 2007 event found that the Woodward Dream Cruise generates more than $56 million each year for the Metro Detroit economy. The Cruise's economic impact to the region is more significant than any other major event in Michigan, recurring or otherwise; that includes 2006 Super Bowl XL at Ford Field ($49.3 million), the 2005 MLB All-Star Game at Comerica Park ($42 million) or the 2006 Detroit Tigers post season run ($37.8 million).

Nearly 100 area charities benefit from the sale of official Dream Cruise merchandise and refreshments each year.